Defense says schedules show Cosby wasn't around

Jake Bell |Thursday, April 26, 2018

Bill Cosby departs after his sexual assault trial Friday

Defence lawyers for comedian Bill Cosby on Tuesday attacked the credibility of women who testified against him at his sexual assault trial, drawing a stern rebuke from prosecutors who said such shaming of victims was the reason women do not report sex crimes.

Jurors will be asked to weigh the prosecution's portrayal of the comedian as a sexual predator against the defense's contention that his accuser fabricated drugging and molestation allegations to score a big payday.

Constand testified at Cosby's first trial past year that she and Williams were good friends and were in touch as she went to police in January 2005 with allegations the TV star drugged and molested her.

Cosby was asked Monday afternoon by Judge Steven O'Neill whether it was true he meant to not testify. "Try to relax, so that you're on your game tomorrow".

Cosby is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault stemming from his encounter with Constand.

Closing arguments will be held Tuesday in the case that pits the former Cosby Show star once known as America's Dad against a woman who says he drugged her at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004, then sexually assaulted her while she was unable to resist or say no. Cosby has said his 2004 sexual encounter with Constand was consensual.

The defense spent last week calling witnesses who would contradict Constand's claim.

Jurors weren't allowed to hear testimony that Bill Cosby's chief accuser was once hooked on hallucinogenic mushrooms or had her sights set on becoming a millionaire, but that hasn't stopped the defense from airing the explosive claims about Andrea Constand in the court of public opinion. Constand received a civil settlement of almost $3.4 million from Cosby.

He also prevented Russell from testifying that Constand went to the US with a goal of becoming a millionaire, saying it was too broad a claim to have any relevance to the assertion that she framed Cosby for money.

Andrea Constand arrives to resume her testimony during Bill Cosby'ssexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Monday, April 16, 2018. Her former Temple University colleague Marguerite Jackson testified that Constand once mused about setting up a high-profile person.

Cosby's lawyers are expected to call an agent and an aviation consultant to the witness stand on Monday as they continue to make the case that he never visited his suburban Philadelphia mansion in January 2004 - the month Constand says he knocked her out with pills and molested her there.

Cosby's lawyers also painstakingly reviewed phone and travel records for Cosby and Constand, as well as a schedule for the Temple women's basketball team, saying they are proof the alleged assault couldn't have happened when she says it did.

Of dozens of women who have come forward in recent years to accuse the entertainer of similar assaults stretching back to the 1960s, only Constand's allegations fall within the statute of limitations. Prosecutors have noted that Cosby's travel records have large gaps in time. "You can't tell us whether he got on a train". On each trip, he left from his residence in NY and returned to his residence in NY, flying via private plane. They said Williams would show Constand "could not have been the unwitting victim" prosecutors have portrayed.

Betts blasts pair of homers as Red Sox sneak past Blue Jays
Chris Sale allowed three earned runs, six hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts over seven innings in a loss at Oakland on Saturday. The Toronto Blue Jays will look to bounce back and win the series after allowing Boston to even up the set at one win apiece.

Preparations underway for Arizona teachers rally
Ducey that they do not agree with his plan and would prefer to sit down face-to-face to figure something else out. Martinez said she supports the teachers despite the inconvenience because "they are educating our future".

Philippines expresses "great displeasure" with Kuwait
Gabriela also said that the Department of Foreign Affairs has recorded at least 6,000 cases of maltreatment of OFWs in 2017 alone. Some 10 million Filipinos work overseas and the money they remit back is a lifeline of the Philippine economy.

Pruitt arrives for House hearing on spending, ethics
Pruitt previously told Fox News he was completely unaware of the raises and that his Chief of Staff Ryan Jackson was responsible. Pruitt repeatedly denied ever punishing punished aides who may have challenged his decisions regarding travel or other conduct.

European WhatsApp rises minimum age to 16
It will ask teenage users to nominate a parent or guardian to give permission for them to share information on the platform. The prompt will explain that Twitter has updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to reflect the EU's GDPR .